that time further attempted whereof king Stephen was much afraid At this meeting the yong Prince together with some other of like age his companions in this iorney receiued the order of knight-hood at the hands of king Dauid within foure years after these two kings deceased nere togither the one hauing raigned ouer Scotland thirty yeares in great tranquillity the other hardly twenty ouer England with continuall vexation and infelicity and as they ended so their successors beganne to raigne togither Henry the Empresse her Sonne ouer this nation about the age of twenty yeares his Cousin Malcolme king Dauids grand-child for Prince Henry died before his Father ouer the other about 13. years old In the persō of this Henry the crowne of England was restored to the Saxon bloud by the Mother side hauing continewed in the Conqueror and his two Sonnes about 68. years now by marriage transferred to the house of Plantagenet an other family of France Herof had Lewis the French king no good liking being vnwilling that so mighty a Prince and so neare a neighbour should haue such foot-hold with in his dominions for in the right of his wife Queene Elioner who had beene before deuorsed from Lewis hee had attained the possession of the Duchy of Aquitane and the Earle-dome of Poitou by his mother the Empresse he inioyed the Duchy of Normandy in his Fathers right hee seized not without some hard measure towards his brother Geffrey vnto whom their Father by his last Testament had giuen the same vpon the Earledomes of Aniou Touraigne and Maine Neuerthelesse hee subtilely couered his malice vnder pretext of dissembled alliance least otherwise he should haue had lesse aduantage of him But King Henry perceiuing the deceite was too wise to be caught by such a Traine and therefore vpon the first occasion that was offered he opposed his open force against the others secret practises but first as well to keepe all safe at home on that side as also for the better trayning of the young Prince in feates of Armes and Martiall discipline vnder pretence of the performance of the seruices due for the Landes hee held of him within the Realme of England hee procured King Malcolme to accompanie him ouer into Normandie where hauing spent some time not a little to the losse of King Lewis and requited the curtesie of King Dauid by bestowing the like honour on him as before he had receiued they returned together hither againe and then taking his leaue of King Henrie hee was honourablie attended home into Scotland His Nobilitie repairing vnto the Court King Malcolme made relation of all that had happened in this his iourney whereat they seemed much discontented attributing vnto him want of discretion that hee would be induced or rather so much seduced as to beare Armes in the quarrell of an vndoubted enemy against the French King and his subiects their antient and assured friend and Allie that hee little considered the drift of King Henrie who sought nothing more then by some meanes to bring him into distrust and disgrace with King Lewis to the end hee might the more safelie offer him whatsoeuer hard measure hee did meane towardes him With these and such like speeches tending wholie to with-draw their Kings affection from King Henrie hee wanting yeares and thereby iudgement to sound the deapth of this deuise was too easily drawne into the French faction for by taking part with France against England their mainteinance hath beene alwayes much amended When King Henrie had knowledge hereof to the end he might in due time prouide a remedie for this growing on maladie hee caused King Malcolme to bee summoned to make his personall appearance at his high Court of Parliament holden at Yorke whether beeing come at the appointed time hee was charged to haue so grieuously offended that therevpon by authoritie of the same Court he was finally adiudged to haue forfeited all those lands and Seignories which he held within England but in the end by mediation no doubt of the Empresse the king her son was intreated to restore his cousin to his possessions in Cumberland the County of Huntingdon only reseruing Northumberland wholy on condition that doing homage vnto Prince Henry the kings son in manner as all the Nobilitie of England had also done he should further deliuer into his hands his yonger brother Dauid and certaine other the sonnes of the Lords of Scotland as pleadges for the assurance of an inuiolable peace betweene the two Nations All which were performed and peace a long time continued Within three yeares after king Malcolme deceassed hauing liued fiue and twenty yeares and raigned not much aboue twelue whom William his second brother succeeded in the yeare of our Redemption 1165. Shortly after his Coronatiō he repaired to London did homage to king Henry in manner as before his brother had done requesting the king to restore vnto him Northumberland which hee chalenged as his proper right The other answered that it rested not in his powre to dispose thereof without the consent of his subiects that as by Parliament the same was taken from his brother he would so farre yeelde vnto his demand as to the like assemblie should seeme reasonable which the King afterwards performed accordingly rendring so much of Northumberland as King Malcolme his great Grandfather was seised of at the time of the Cōposition made with the Conqueror for the space of eight or nine yeares following these two Kings liued peaceably together and one to the other shewed great kindnesse so as King William at one iourney accompanied the other into Normandy and sundry times afterwards repayred to the English Court where hee was euer ioyfully and royally intertained Dauid his brother was also louingly entreated during his aboad in England and at Windsor honored by King Henrie with the order of Knight-hood Thenceforth hee followed the King of England in his warres in France although he was sondry waies attempted to haue beene drawne to the aduerse parte But in processe of time which worketh alteration in all estates thorough the instigation especially of Lewis the French King who had now set the two Henries the Father and the sonne one against the other Amongst diuerse other as well of the Nobilitie of England as of forraine Princes King William was likewise won to take part with the young King for his Father had caused him to be crowned in that vnnaturall strife contention So as while king Henry the Father was set on worke on the other side of the Sea by his seditious sonnes for the rest tooke part with their eldest brother the realme much disquieted with in it selfe by the Earles of Lecester Chester Lincoln Norfolk and diuers other domesticall complices of this dangerous conspiracie the Scotish king hauing gathered a mightie armie entred therewith into the Marches of England tooke the Castels of Browgh Applebie with some other sent part of his Army into Kendale wasting the
instrument being first signed and sealed by king Alexander himselfe and afterwards by his Nobilitie was sent to the King of England at Christmasse following by the Prior of Tinmouth who had trauelled diligently and faithfully in this businesse to the honor and good liking of both parties And for further confirmation thereof another writing was sent to Rome to the end that this agreement accord might receiue the more strength frō his Holines This solemne league was established in the yeare of our Lord 1244. Whereupon Berwick was restored to the king of Scotland Carliele which had bin taken by the Scots in the raigne of king Iohn was likewise restored to king Henry the antient limits of the two kingdomes were bounded out by the Kings crosse in Steanmore as before at the agreement made with the Conqueror The often intermariages of the one nation with the other which is the surest band of friendship caused this good agreement so long between them for when at any time occasion of vnkindnesse was offered by eyther of the two kings the Nobilitie of both sides were so lincked one with the other in such an indissoluble vnion that they would not suffer the same to breake out into any hostilitie But to consummate and perfect as it were this Gordian knot within two yeares after the death of king Alexander the father which happened in the yeare 1249. his sonne Alexander that succeeded about eight yeares old when his father deceased was within two yeares after brought to Yorke where King Henry on Christmas day honoured him with the order of Knighthood and the day following he gaue him in mariage his Daughter the Lady Margaret according to the former agreement At this meeting the young King did homage in maner as before his father had done and the League was renewed betweene the two Nations which continued without any tainte many yeares after In the meane time at sundry meetings of the two kings and their Queenes much kindnesse and friendly demeanour passed betweene them to the great reioycing of their subiects on both sides And as occasion required the one would ayde and assist the other For during the troubles betweene King Henry and his Barons king Alexander did send vnto his ayde fiue thousand Scots vnder the leading of Alexander Cumine and Robert Bruis of whom the greater number was slaine in the quarrell of the Father and Sonne against their rebellious subiects King Henrie deceasing in the seauen and fiftie yeare of his raigne Anno 1272. the Scotish king and Queene came into England to the Coronation of king Edward his brother in law where hauing passed the time in great iollitie and acknowledged his allegiance hee was honourably attended into Scotland Shortly after his returne thither Queene Margaret his wife deceased and not long after her death their two sonnes Dauid and Alexander dyed also the elder brother hauing lately maryed the daughter of the Earle of Flanders but left no issue behind them The heauie hand of the Lord ceassed not here but finally inflicted well nere an vtter ruine and desolation on that kingdome by taking out of this world about twelue yeares after the king himselfe and his whole progenie if it bee true that is reported in the History of Scotland this calamitie may seeme to be prefigured in a prodigious apparition at the second marriage of king Alexander for as he was leading the Queene his Bride in a dance according to the manner of such solemnities there appeared to the whole assembly the similitude of an humaine Anatomy following and closing vp the traine of the Lords Ladies that accompanied them The same yeare viz. Ann. 1285. king Alexander was throwne frō off his horse and in the fall brake his necke At his death none remained liuing of his line saue onely one infant the daughter of his daughter Margaret Queene of Norway King Edward vnderstanding what had hapned in Scotland began to thinke with himselfe how exceeding beneficial it would be to both nations if by any good meanes they might bee vnited and made one monarchie wherevpon forthwith hee dispatched Ambassadors thether to make offer of mariage betweene the yong Lady the heire of Scotland his sonne Prince Edward heire apparant to the Crowne of England This was no sooner moued to the lords but forth-with euery mā gaue free consent esteeming it so happy a thing for that kingdome as nothing could be wished more The mariage was therefore readily concluded vpon these conditions That the Scotishmen should be gouerned by their owne Lords and lawes vntill the issue proceeding of them should be of age to take the gouernment vpon them And if it hapned that no issue should thereof spring or should die before ripe age to gouerne then the kingdom of Scotlād should descend to the next in bloud to the King last deceased Herevpon certaine Noble-men of Scotland were presently sent into Norway for the safe conduct of the yong Lady but it pleased not God at that time to giue so great a blessing to this Islād for at their returne home they brought heauy newes of her death also The posteritie of king William of Scotland grand-father to the last King being now extinguished great dissention arose about the title claime to the crowne The realme by this occasion being diuided into sundry factions was in great danger of an vtter subuersion This controuersie hauing depended a long time it was thought fit sithence there was none amongst themselues of powre authority to decide a matter of so great importance to refer the same to the hearing and award of the king of England generally reputed of all the competitors a fit iudge to determine thereof according as law and equity should direct him K. Edward being willing to bestow his trauell to so good purpose and holding himselfe in a sort bound therevnto in regard of his right of superioritie ouer that nation easily consented to their petitions appointing time place for the performance of his best indeuore to effect their desire In the meane time to the end it might appeare to the world that he tooke not this office in hand vpon warrant onely of the competitors intreaty hee caused all the ancient Chronicles records that could be found either in England or Scotland to be perused that if any question therof should arise his pretended interest in this action might be sufficiently approued But although this was made so manifest out of Marianus the Scot William of Malmesbury Roger Houeden Henry Huntingtō Ralph de Diceto others as none then liuing could gainsay it neuerthelesse the Scotish writers haue since that time much depraued the credit thereof by their bare surmises And therefore it shall not be impertinent for the better cleering of this point before I proceed any further in declaratiō of the matter in hand to examine how truely one of the best learned amongst thē hath not long since peremptorilie affirmed that there is nothing to show
vnto him if by any good meanes a firme peace and amitie with England might bee obteined tooke occasiō now in the time of truce to send for the Bishop of Durham who was shortly after admitted by king Henry to repaire into Scotland Beeing come to the kings presence after much friendly speach hee made knowne vnto him his great desire to confirme a perfect peace and vnitie with England by takeing to wife the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter to the king his Maister The Bishop willingly promised his best indeuour to bring the matter to passe which about three yeares after was effected accordingly not-with-standing that in the meane season Prince Arthur the kings eldest sonne deceasing Prince Henry his brother remained onely a barre betweene her and the Crowne True it is that this Ladye was affianced and by proxie contracted to the Scottish king while Prince Arthur yet liued about sixe weekes after his marriage with the Lady Katherine of Spaine Neuer-the-lesse if king Henry had beene disposed vpon his sonnes death to haue broken and auoyded the same it had beene no difficult point for him to haue preuailed so much with the Pope who not long after dispenced in a matter of greater offence with the marriage I meane of king Henry the eight with the said Lady Katherine his brothers wife It is reported by Morgan that when the king of Englands Councell began to fore-cast some perill in this match with Scotland his Maiestie vpon good aduise answered that although that thing should come to passe hereby which they seemed to stand in doubt of namely the intitling of king Iames and his posteritie to the Crowne of England hee so little distrusted that any inconuenience should insue thereof vnto this realme as that for his part he thought nothing could happen more gratious to both nations which by that meane should be vnited and made one Monarchie And further that Scotland being much inferior in quantitie and qualitie vnto England should bee therefore reputed and held but a dependence on it as Normandie was at the time of the Conquest And lastlie when that should come to passe hee that by this mariage should be heire to both kingdomes would in his stile of regalitie preferre England before the other This was the ninth time that since the conquest the Scottish Kings haue married with the English Nation and for the more part with the bloud royall from all which some issue hath sprung two onely excepted For first Malcolme Cammoire king of Scotland married Margaret sister to Edgar Atheling whose sonne king Dauid married Mawde the Daughter and heire of Waltheolfe Earle of Northumberland whose sonne Prince Henry maried a Daughter of Earle Warham whose sonne king William married the Lady Ermangard the daughter of Richard Vicount Beaumont who was sonne to a Daughter of William the Conquerour Alexander the second their sonne married the Lady Iane Sister to King Henrie the second but had no issue by her Alexander the third his sonne married Margaret Daughter to King Henry the third whose posteritie ended in Margaret their grand-child the heire of Norway After this Dauid Bruse whose great Grand-mother was Daughter to Hugh Bohume Earle of Chester and wife to Dauid brother to King William of Scotland maried Iane Sister to King Edward the second but hee dyed with-out issue where-vpon the crowne of Scotland descended vnto the Noble and ancient familie of the Stewards the third king whereof Iames the first maried the Lady Iane Daughter of Iohn Earle of Somerset which Iames was great Grand-father to this Iames who now last of all maried the eldest Daughter of this King Henry from whom Iames the sixt now King is lineally descended in the third degree both by Father and Mother Though in the meane time none of our Kings haue maried with Scotland saue onely King Henrie the first whereby the Crowne returned to the Saxon bloud as hath beene declared yet diuers of our Nobilitie haue matched in the bloud royall of Scotland Hereby it appeareth how much that Nation hath alwayes sought to strengthen it selfe by alliance with England though France hath of late so much preuailed that therein it hath beene preferred before vs but with no very good successe as the sequell declareth During the life of King Henry which was within two months of sixe yeares after this marriage no occasion of quarrell was offered on either part but all loue and kindnesse that might bee desired passed betweene the two Kings Neither did king Henry the eight that succeeded his Father giue his brother in lawe king Iames anie iust occasion to breake friendshippe with him but it seemeth the same wholy proceeded from the subtile practise of France our ancient enemie as many times before that Nation had done the like for it hath beene euer their policie to sowe dissention betweene England and Scotland to the end they might set the king of England on worke at home fearing hee would otherwise be too busie with them This Henrie hauing with great felicity raigned neere foure and twenty yeares leaft behinde him vnto his Sonne king Henrie the eight so assured and setled a kingdome and withall such aboundance of treasure as neuer any of his predecessours did the like before him He died in the yeare of our redemption 1509. In the third yeare of this last king Henries raigne it fell out that Lewis the French king made sharpe warre on Pope Iulius in Ittalie wherevpon thorough the solicitation of Maximilian the Emperour and Ferdinand king of Spaine whose Daughter king Henrie had married by dispensation from that martiall Prelate hee was easilie drawne to ioyne with them in the Popes behalfe King Iames hauing not long before receiued manie fauoures of the French King and amongst the rest two shippes fraught with gunnes speares and all other kinde of munition for warre a good preparatiue to the practise following was thereby made more inclinable to the French faction And for a further spurre therevnto diuerse of his clergie who had likewise tasted of the liberality of king Lewis sought all occasiones where-by to prick him forward in that course This could not be compassed till such time as they had first alienated him wholie from his former affection towards England To which end the Bishoppe of Murrey a priuie man of that faction was sent to King Henrie now well-nere after nine yeares silence to demand a certaine pretious vestement and rich attire which as was pretended was giuen to the Scottish Queene by her brother Prince Arthur at his death King Henry distrusting some subtilty herein to the end hee would preuent all occasion of vnkindnesse answered that the king his brother should not onely haue at his hands that which was dewe but else whatsoeuer he desired of him The Bishoppe with this answere which was better happelie then he either wished or exspected returned home But howsoeuer King Iames regarded the message this Bishoppe was forth-with sent into France and after him certaine shippes well